Battling tobacco trading

• ERA/FoEN wants tobacco bill signed

THE National Tobacco Control Bill, passed by the Senate on March 15, 2011, and concurred by the Lower House on May 31, 2011 (World No Tobacco Day), which in July, 2009, had its   public hearing conducted by the senate and attracted more than 40 civil society groups, including groups from the tobacco industry who were against the bill; still awaits the assent of the president. However, the bill takes a forefront in improving the health of the general public. The bill which repeals the Tobacco (Control) Act 1990 CAP. T16 Laws of the Federation is aimed at domesticating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The keys highlights of the bill are prohibition of smoking in public places; to include restaurant and bar, public transportation, schools, hospitals etc. A ban on all forms of direct and indirect advertising, prohibition of sales of cigarette 1000-meter radius of areas designated as non-smoking, mass awareness about the danger of smoking as well as the formation of committee that will guide government on the issue of tobacco control in the country.

It prohibits all forms of tobacco advertisement, sponsorships and promotions, endorsements or testimonials, sales promotions. Prohibition of the sale of tobacco products 1,000 meter radius places designated as non smoking and empowers government to use litigation to recoup liabilities related to tobacco consumption. 

Spreading Tobacco scourge

Even as tobacco death toll soars beyond 6 million, big tobacco industries have stepped up its efforts to prevent tobacco control laws from taking effect. Highly visible examples include lawsuits by Phillip Morris International and its competitors against countries like Austrialia, Norway and Uruguay for implementing strong tobacco control laws.

“Big Tobacco is very publicly bullying countries in hopes they will cave, their neighbours will cave, and treaty implementation will cave,” said Kelle Louaillier, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability International.

World Health Assembly resolution on transparency in tobacco control process, citing the findings of the Committee of Experts on Tobacco Industry Documents, states that “the tobacco industry has operated for years with the express intention of subverting the role of governments and WHO in implementing public health policies to combat the tobacco epidemic.”

For example, in an attempt to halt the adoption of pictorial health warnings on packages of tobacco, the industry recently adopted the novel tactic of suing countries under bilateral investment treaties, claiming that the warnings impinge the companies' attempts to use their legally-registered brands.

Meanwhile, the industry's attempts to undermine the treaty continue on other fronts, particularly with regard to countries' attempts to ban smoking in enclosed public places and to ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.  Tobacco advertising and promotions are everywhere. 

Despite the ban on smoking in public places, there are still promotions of cigarette smoking in clubs, parties, rural areas and sharing of gifts.  

For instance, the British American Tobacco of Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) aimed at  improving the quality of life of citizens in rural and urban areas of Nigeria through sustainable poverty alleviation, agricultural development,  potable water, environmental protection and vocational skills acquisition  are ways to get into the heart of the masses which will inturn promote cigarette smoking. 

BAT is also involved with sport sponsoring, especially football which is popular in Nigeria. FIFA's decision to prohibit tobacco ads in sports grounds and on the players shirts was only for the World cup. 

However, an odd thing is the simultaneous presence of advertising for Marlboro while nobody holds a distributing license for Marlboro in Nigeria.   

The Environment Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) states that Tobacco industry interference is to weaken law to ensure they never get enacted and to undermine those laws.

“Even though the law didn't specify the public places but they have been moving around to kiosks, hotels, advertise with sharing umbrellas, commissioning of borehole. Tobacco company should be held responsible for both the environmental, economic, health and social cost,” said Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, Director, Corporate Accountability and Administration.

He referred to the Tobacco companies humanitarian gestures as being against the health of the ublic. “These gestures are not strictly humanitarian gestures; most companies act for the benefit of mankind but Tobacco Company is acting against the benefit of mankind.”

He also revealed that, “Tobacco companies don't pay taxes, they actually rake the taxes from smokers. So, when they pay N1billion tax,  it means that they have sold close toN100 billion cigarettes.”

Director, People against Drug Dependence and Ignorance, Mr.Eze Eluchie adds “One of BAT's most recent and successful promotion is named Experience Hollywood: they organize film showings and with your ticket you are given a pack of cigarettes. I tried to attend one  such event with a camera but they refused to let me in with the camera.” 

Health threats

Tobacco use most commonly leads to diseases affecting the heart, with smoking being a major risk factor for heart attacks, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), emphysema, and cancer, particularly lung cancer, cancers of the larynx and mouth, and pancreatic cancer. Overall life expectancy is also reduced in regular smokers, with estimates ranging from 10_17.9 years fewer than nonsmokers.

Eluchi said 13,700 people die as a result of cigarette having 35% aid of cancer and approximately 5 million people die of cigarette everyday.

Statistics

The global tobacco epidemic kills nearly 6 million people each year, of which more than 600,000 are people exposed to second-hand smoke and may kill up to 8 million people by 2030 if nothing drastic is done, of which more than 80per cent live in low- and middle-income countries.

Among male smokers, the lifetime risk of developing lung cancer is 17.2per cent; among female smokers, the risk is 11.6per cent. This risk is significantly lower in nonsmokers: 1.3per cent in men and 1.4per cent in women. 

Recommendations

The WHO/FCTC on tobacco control is to raise awareness about the addictives and harmful nature of tobacco products and industry interference with Parties' tobacco policies. Establish measures to limit interactions with the tobacco products and transparency of those interactions that occur and require information provided by the tobacco industry be transparent and accurate.

Oluwafemi urged prioritizing the health of the people above the commercial investment interests of the tobacco industry. “We want the presidency to hearken to the call from the global and local communities. He has the window of signing because the constitution is clear. The world is watching. We've not confirmed from the president if he has received the bill and no information yet if he is not going to sign for public health, nothing is too much.”

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Activists urge Jonathan to sign National Tobacco Control Bill

As the world marked the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) yesterday, activists made a passionate plea to President Goodluck Jonathan: sign the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB) to prevent avoidable death from tobacco use.
They said statistics show rising deaths from tobacco use because of lax tobacco control regime.
The Environmental Rights Action (ERA), at an event to mark the WNTD in Lagos, said tobacco companies are interfering with the Bill becoming an Act.
Its Director, Corporate Accountability and Administration, Mr Akibode Oluwafemi, said this year theme: Tobacco Industry Interference is in line with the current development in Nigeria.
He said the president has disobeyed the 1999 Constitution in his handling of the Bill.
He quoted Chapter five, Section 68, sub-section 4 and 5 of the constitution, which states: “Where a bill is presented to the President for assent, he shall within 30 days thereof signify that he assents or that he withholds assent.
“Where the President withholds his assent and the bill is again passed by each Legislative House by two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required.”
Oluwafemi said there is the need for the country to domesticate the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), adding that the Convention’s Article 5.3 states that “in setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, parties shall act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law.”
This, he said, means that the tobacco giants should be excluded from any step to implement public health policies.
He alleged that top executives of tobacco companies  paid visits  to Aso Rock during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Oluwafemi quoted the World Health Assembly’s (WHA’s) resolution 18 on transparency in tobacco control process: “The tobacco industry has operated for years with the express intention of subverting the role of government and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in implementing public health policies to combat the tobacco epidemic.”
He said the major motive of the tobacco giants is to weaken and undermine the country’s laws.


Oluwafemi said despite the ban on tobacco advertising, most of the tobacco companies still freely display their adverts in public places, such as hotels .
He said: “They paste posters on stalls announcing  free-camera phone promotion and offered free umbrellas to market women with adverts on them.”
ERA’s partner, Corporate Accountability International (CAI), has released its yearly report on tobacco entitled Cutting through the smoke. The report describes the global stories of industry abuse, grassroots victories and the path towards a healthier future.
It said families have continued to suffer the devastating health, financial and social consequences of tobacco-related diseases. 


- The Nation

Group faults BATN over investment in Nigeria

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has faulted claims by British America Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) that its investment in Nigeria has been beneficial to the country.

ERA/FoEN in a statement said it was necessary to put the facts right following remarks by the Managing Director of BATN, Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo, at an investment forum last Thursday.

She had said at the forum that the company’s investment initiative in had turned out to be "a win-win situation" for the company and Nigeria.

BATN had in 2001 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government to establish a $150 million tobacco factory in Ibadan.

Since then, the company has been targeting young Nigerians in a bid to recruit them as replacement smokers.

It has successfully done this through musical concerts, fashion shows and other promotional events like the Secret Smoking Parties that ERA/FoEN alerted the nation about when the events held in Ajegunle and Victoria Island, both in Lagos.

In a statement in Lagos, ERA/FoEN described the company’s claims as "sheer dishonesty", insisting that BATN continues to rake in profits as Nigerians harvest death and the health burden associated with the failure of the Federal Government to regulate the activities of tobacco companies operating in the country.

ERA/FoEN’s Director, Corporate Accountability and Administration, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said, "It is extremely fallacious and vexing for BATN to describe its stranglehold on the huge and largely uninformed Nigerian consumer market as a win-win situation.

‘’That remark is unfortunate and can be likened to a victory song by a company that has an avowed mission of conscripting new smokers through the glamorization of a deadly product."

Oluwafemi noted that: "For instance, in Lagos, one among the Nigerian states targeted by BATN for its image blitz, a 2006 survey in 11 government-owned hospitals revealed that at least two persons die daily from a tobacco-related disease.

‘’The survey also revealed that the Lagos government expends at least N216, 000 treating each of the 9,527 tobacco related cases documented while individual patient spends an additional N70,000."

Oluwafemi reiterated ERA/FoEN demand for the signing of the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB) by President Goodluck Jonathan.

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Transmit tobacco bill for presidential assent, ERA tells NASS

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth (ERA/FoEN) has asked the National Assembly to immediately transmit the recently passed National Tobacco Control Bill to the Presidency for signing into law in order to save millions of lives endangered by tobacco use.

In a release issued in Lagos and signed by the Director Corporate Accountability & Administration, Akinbode Oluwafemi, the group warned that failure to send the bill to the President for his signature would have negative consequences for public health in Nigeria and roll back any gains made by the passage of the bill in the first instance.

ERA/FOEN’s call is coming on the heels of a similar call by the American Cancer Society (ACS) for comprehensive policy to tackle the cancer epidemic in developing countries. The ACS made the call in New York at a meeting to deliberate on the United Nations High Level Meeting on Non Communicable Diseases (NCD).

The ACS said tobacco use in developing countries account for about 80 per cent of all cancer deaths.

“The two chambers of the National Assembly have put the health of Nigerians above partisan politics and profits of the tobacco multinationals by passing into law the National Tobacco Control Bill. It will be a waste of public resources expended into the process and a betrayer of public health if the Principal Officers in the National Assembly fail to transmit the bill to the president for signing.”



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GROUP SEEKS QUICK PASSAGE OF ANTI-TOBACCO BILL

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria on Sunday stated that the passage of the National Tobacco Control Bill by the Senate was being stalled by the absence of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello.

The bill which, according to the group, was sponsored by Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora from Lagos State, was scheduled to be presented for third reading last Thursday but was stood down due to the absence of Obasanjo-Bello.

The bill has been in the Senate since 2008 and is a comprehensive law that will regulate the manufacture, sales, distribution and marketing of tobacco products in Nigeria.

A statement by ERA/FoEN’s Director (Corporate Accountability and Administration), Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, said it was disturbing that the bill had suffered another setback. The group urged the Senate to give it proper treatment.

He said it was a comprehensive law that would save the lives of millions of Nigerians, if passed.

Oluwafemi said, “We find it disturbing that the National Tobacco Control Bill should suffer this setback again. We think the Senate should accord the bill the importance it deserves. It is a comprehensive law that is designed to save millions of lives now and in the future.

“The tobacco control bill is a bill for the next generation and it should be treated with the utmost importance that it deserves. We are sad that once again, we seem to have missed a very important opportunity.”

Oluwafemi, however, praised the efforts made on the bill so far adding. “We salute the courage of the members of Senate who have worked on the bill in the last two years, we commend the maturity displayed by members of the health committee and especially the Senate President, David Mark, for his support. We hope the Senate will continue deliberations on the bill at the earliest opportunity.”

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Implementation of tobacco treaty will save 200m people –Report

-Mahmud Lalo

 

No fewer than 200 million people in the world will be saved by the year 2050 if the tobacco treaty is implemented, a report by the Environmental Rights Action, Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) and Corporate Accountability International has said.

The report also alleged tobacco companies interference in the implementation of the global tobacco treaty formally known as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

“Tobacco companies interference remains the single greatest obstacle to this objective and a centerpiece of discussion at the November meeting,” the report said.

Director of Corporate Accountability International, Gigi Kellet, said tobacco companies initially tried to bully the global community out of advancing the treaty and that it is now attempting to bully countries out of enforcing it.

According to the report, each year, tobacco kills more than five million people and that 80 per cent of the victims are in underdeveloped countries.

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'Anti-tobacco bill is still alive'

By Michael Orie and Wole Oyebade

ANTI-TOBACCO activists, under the aegis of Environmental Rights Action / Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), have debunked the purported 'death' of the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB) at the National Assembly, insisting that the bill was still under consideration before the Senate Committee on Health.
Their reaction came in the wake of Senator Kamaldeen Adedibu's insinuation to the effect that the bill, which has passed the public hearing stage, "is dead."
At a media briefing in Lagos yesterday, Programme Manager, ERA, Oluwafemi Akinbode, said: "Contrary to the lies and deception of the statements credited to the senator, the NTCB bill is not dead. The bill scaled through the second reading in the Senate in February 2009 and at that reading, all the senators present and who spoke at the plenary expressed strong support for the bill.
"Indeed, Senate President David Mark, while referring the bill to the Committee on Health, enjoined the members to expedite action on it because of the intense lobbying power of the tobacco industry, which seeks to derail the enactment of law that would protect the lives of Nigerians and also curtail the industry's criminal activities."
ERA described Adedibu's comments as "inflammatory, albeit deceitful, reckless, misleading and totally false."
The National Tobacco Control Bill 2009, sponsored by Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora (Lagos East), seeks to provide the regulation or control of production, manufacture, sale, advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco or tobacco products in Nigeria and other related matters.
The bill also seeks to prohibit sale of cigarette to persons under 18; sale of tobacco products through vending machines; and sale of cigarette in single sticks;
It also seeks to prohibit all forms of tobacco advertisement, sponsorship and promotion, endorsements or testimonials, sale promotions; and smoking in public places, among others.
Akinbode also disclosed that a two-day public hearing was organised by the Senate Committee on Health headed by Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello on July 20 to 21, 2009, with the Federal Ministry of Health leading government agencies to lend support for the bill.
His words: "In all, over 40 Non-Government Organizations (NGO) presented memoranda supporting the bill and asking for its speedy passage. Besides, there were words of commendation and support for the bill from five International NGOs; Campaign for Tobacco Free kids (CTFK), Framework Convention Alliance (FCA), Corporate Accountability International (CAI), African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) and the African Tobacco Control Regional Initiative (ATCRI).
"Besides the tobacco Industry, only Senator Adedibu, who represents the Oyo South Federal Constituency, expressed his opposition, hinging his reason on loss of jobs and vowing to oppose the bill even if that would be the only thing he would do in the Senate.
"The committee has not presented the bill to the plenary and we know for a fact that there was supposed to be a retreat on the result of the public hearing but for the recent political developments in the country. Therefore the bill has not been voted on by the Senate plenary, how then did it die?"
African regional coordinator, Framework Convention Alliance, Adeola Akinremi, disclosed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that tobacco kills 5.4 million people every year and if current trend continues, it would kill more than eight million people.
In 2006, from a survey carried out in 11 Lagos State government-owned hospitals, it was discovered that at least two persons die each day from a tobacco-related disease. Also in one single year, about 10 000 cases of tobacco-disease was recorded in Lagos.
Akinremi said: "All we need to do is extrapolate that figure all over the country and we will have an idea of the epidemic we are dealing with.
"ERA/FoEN wishes to condemn in its totality the activities of Senator Adedibu. We demand that he immediately cease from making such statements and ask the Senate leadership to investigate his allegations.
"However, while we still have trust in the Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello-led committee, we are constrained to be apprehensive about the long delay in presenting the bill at plenary. This is the time to complete work on this public health bill. This is the only way to show the world that the committee has not been compromised by the tobacco industry as Senator Adedibu has insinuated.
"Nigerians are dying by the seconds due to tobacco addition while tobacco manufacturers smile to the banks. Every delay is more deaths, more ill-health."

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Groups hail Senate hearing on tobacco bill

-David Ajikobi with agency reports

The Senate has been hailed by international groups and non-governmental agencies for helping in the fight against tobacco smoking in the country.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly is working on the National Tobacco Control Bill and its Committee on Health on Tuesday held a public hearing on the bill.
Kayode Soyinka, a medical practitioner and representative of the World Health Organisation who was at the public hearing, applauded the Senate for helping in the fight against tobacco addiction and associated diseases.
"We fully support this effort, which is to domesticate the WHO- initiated Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Nigeria became a Party to this Convention in October, 2005, and this bill fully conforms to the provisions of the international treaty," said Mr. Soyinka on Friday.
Africa Tobacco Control Alliance, a collection of groups and institutions working on tobacco control in Africa stated in a letter signed by its chairperson, Racheal Kitonyo, that Nigeria is not alone in the quest to domesticate the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provisions.
"Nigeria would be following the lead of other African countries such as South Africa, Kenya and Mauritius that have already began implementation of FCTC provisions."
"The Africa Tobacco Control Alliance challenged the Senate on a quick passage of the bill. We believe the bill is essential to improve the health of all Nigerians and we want to throw our weight as Africans behind the laudable move of your senate to achieve this," he said.
A United States based group, Corporate Accountability International also commended the country's move to domesticate the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, pointing out that urgent actions are needed to stem the rising tobacco - related deaths across the world, 80 percent of which occur in the Global South.
The Corporate Accountability Group, in a letter to members of the senate health committee, signed by its International Policy Director, Kathryn Mulvey, charged the lawmakers that Article 5.3 of the Framework incorporates measures to protect the tobacco control law from interference from tobacco industry.
"Full implementation of the FCTC in Nigeria and around the world will save millions of lives and change the way Big Tobacco companies operate globally," the group said.
Adeola Akinremi, the regional coordinator of Framework Convention Alliance, a global alliance of organisations working on tobacco control, who personally submitted a memorandum at the hearing described the bill as a great and bold step by the Nigerian senate to safeguard the health of Nigerians.
"This is one bold step to protect Nigerian citizens and the senate deserves commendation. However it is time for vigilance on the part of the senate and all Nigerians to ensure the current standard of the bill is not compromised when it is passed into law," he said
The bill sponsored by Olorunnibe Mamora, (representing Lagos East) is to regulate the manufacturing, distribution, sales, and consumption of tobacco products in Nigeria and is principally targeted at reducing the population of smokers and the effects of smoking on public health, the economy and the environment.
At the public hearing on Tuesday, more than 40 civil society groups sent in memoranda to support the bill. There were statements from the Minister of Health, Babatunde Osotimehin who was represented by Mike Anibueze; former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Umaru Modibo, former Attorney General of Lagos State, Yemi Osinbajo, the wife of the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Maryam Uwais among others.

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WHO, Others Back Tobacco Control Bill

By Laolu Adeyemi

THE Public Hearing on the National Tobacco Control Bill conducted this week by the Iyabo Obasanjo Bello-led Senate Health Committee has generated commendations from international agencies and non-governmental groups.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative in Nigeria, represented at the Public hearing by Dr. Kayode Soyinka, commended the Senate for taking steps to rescue the lives of millions of Nigerians from tobacco addiction.
"We fully support this effort which is to domesticate the WHO- initiated Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Nigeria became a party to this convention in October 2005 and this bill fully conforms to the provisions of the international treaty," the WHO Representative said.
A leading tobacco control group in the United States, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CFTK), in a memorandum to the Public Hearing signed by its President, Matt Myers, expressed full support for the bill "in its current form" and urged the Senate to pass it swiftly.
CTFK said: "The National Tobacco Control Bill is essential to bringing Nigeria into compliance with its international obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which Nigeria ratified in October 2005.
"Under the FCTC, Nigeria is obliged, among other things, to protect the health of its citizens by prohibiting smoking in public places, workplaces, public transport, and other appropriate places; to impose a comprehensive ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products; and to require strong and prominent health warnings on tobacco products."
Another US-based group, Corporate Accountability International (CAI) commended the Senate's move to domesticate the FCTC, pointing out that urgent and bold actions are needed to stem rising tobacco - related deaths across the world 80 per cent, which occur in the Global South.
The corporate accountability group, in a letter to members of the Senate Health Committee and signed by its International Policy Director, Kathryn Mulvey, however, urged the Senate to, in accordance with Article 5. 3 of the FCTC, incorporate measures to protect the tobacco control law from interference from tobacco industry.
"Full implementation of the FCTC in Nigeria and around the world will save millions of lives and change the way Big Tobacco operates globally," CAI stressed.
Also, the Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA), the umbrella body of groups and institutions working on tobacco control in Africa, in a letter signed by its Chairperson, Racheal Kitonyo noted that Nigeria is not alone in the quest to domesticate FCTC provisions, noting; " Nigeria would be following the lead of other African countries such as South Africa, Kenya and Mauritius that have already begun implementation of FCTC provisions."
At the public hearing, which ended on Tuesday, over 40 civil society groups sent in memoranda to support the bill. The Public Hearing also featured statements of support from eminent Nigerians including Nigeria's Minister of Heath, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin represented by a Director at the Ministry, Dr. Mike Anibueze; former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Umaru Modibo, former Attorney General of Lagos State, Prof. Yemi Osibajo, the wife of immediate past Chief Justice of the Federation, Mrs. Maryan Uwais, among others. SOURCE

Group hails senate over tobacco bill

APPLAUSE came the way of the Senate yesterday over its public hearing on National Tobacco Bill held this week from both local and international organisations. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative in Nigeria, represented at the Public hearing by Dr Kayode Soyinka, commended the legislative chamber for taking steps to rescue the lives of millions of Nigerians from tobacco addiction.
" We fully support this effort which is to domesticate the WHO- initiated Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Nigeria became a Party to this Convention in October 2005 and this bill fully conforms to the provisions of the international treaty," the WHO Representative said.
A leading tobacco control group in the United States, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CFTK) in a
memorandum to the Public Hearing signed by its President, Matt Myers, expressed full support for the bill "in its current form" and urged the Senate to pass it swiftly. CTFK said: "The National Tobacco Control Bill is essential to bring Nigeria into compliance with its international obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which Nigeria ratified in October 2005."
"Under the FCTC, Nigeria is obliged, among other things; to protect the health of its citizens by prohibiting smoking in public places, workplaces, public transport, and other appropriate places; to impose a comprehensive ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products; and to require strong and prominent health warnings on tobacco products," it added.
Another US-based group, Corporate Accountability International (CAI) commended the Senate's move to domesticate the FCTC, pointing out that urgent and bold actions are needed to stem rising tobacco - related deaths across the world 80 per cent of which occur in the Global South.
The corporate accountability group, in a letter to members of the Senate Health Committee and signed by its International Policy Director, Kathryn Mulvey, however, urged the Senate to in accordance with Article 5. 3 of the FCTC incorporate measures to protect the tobacco control law from interference from tobacco industry. SOURCE